Transportation Secretary: Don’t Drive Recalled Toyotas

Feb 03 2010 UPDATE – Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood has advised Toyota owners to immediately stop driving cars affected by the recall and take them to a dealership.

LaHood also said he plans to speak with Toyota President Akio Toyoda about the automaker’s recalls in the United States and about the government’s concerns over safety.

Toyota Freezes U.S. Sales of Eight Popular Models

Jan 28 2010 UPDATE – Toyota has decided to suspend sales of the majority of its most popular models in the United States. The Japanese automaker is also suspending production at six North American assembly plants starting in February. The sales freeze is Toyota’s largest in five decades.

The eight models affected by the suspension represented 57 percent of Toyota’s sales in the U.S. last year. The following models are included in the recall:

• 2009-2010 RAV4
• 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2005-2010 Avalon large sedan
• 2009-2010 Matrix hatchback
• 2010 Highlander crossover
• 2007-2010 Tundra pickup
• 2008-2010 Sequoia large SUV

Toyota Floor Mat Recall Is the Largest Ever

Sept 30 2009 ORIGINAL ALERT – Toyota has launched its largest recall ever due to sliding floor mats that may have caused a fatal crash in Texas. The automaker has warned the owners of millions of Toyota and Lexus vehicles to remove the driver’s side floor mat immediately.

The federal government says it has received 102 reports of jammed accelerators in Toyota and Lexus models, including 13 crashes, five deaths, and 17 injuries. Four people died in a late August car accident when a Lexus crashed at about 120 mph. In a 911 call, the passengers said the accelerator was stuck and they couldn’t turn off the engine. The following are models affected by the recall:

The company has asked owners to completely remove the driver’s side mat – even replacing it with a paper mat could be dangerous, since it can slide and jam. Toyota is working on a replacement mat or other solution.